Having declared their tough line on drugs, the recent revelations concerning which Conservative shadow ministers have tried cannabis have been a source of much amusement. However, it diverts attention from a more important issue on which the Tories are also claiming a tough stance - Britain's position within the EU.

New research has shown the "in Europe but not run by it" policy is a non-starter. The small print of the EU Treaties bars us from returning surrendered powers to our own government and if we refuse to obey the Commission dictate we can be given unlimited fines.

The debacle over the Working Time Directive, which has cost British business millions of pounds, produced a flash of protest from Tory ministers - until they realised they were personally liable for failing to introduce it.

With the EU now costing the UK £1.3 million an hour, it is our money going up in smoke. Tory leader William Hague must have some hallucinating policy advisers as he refuses to consider withdrawal to a trade-only relationship. Wouldn't that be zero tolerance? Or just plain common sense?

-Bob Lomas, Dragons Green, Horsham